Job Applications/Rejections
It is difficult sometimes, finding a company that absolutely resonates with you and getting turned down by them, or much worse; being ghosted and just never hearing back at all.
I say this as someone who over today was turned down for a job I love the look of, in a company I love the look of, with people who have been super cool right the way through, who seemed to be very eager to bring me on and whom I will definitely be pushing to work with in the future.
I’m trying to remind myself of all the advice I have given and received over the years for this exact situation, and figured I would write up a post – That way, future me can come back and look at this if needed.
It’s not you.
A lot of people view rejections like this as a reflection of their worth. Even I’m doing it to some extent, the internal question of ‘How do I show hiring managers that I am a good deal, that I am value for money?’ is rolling around my head, but here’s the thing;
All of my recent rejections have been the same; the team has liked me, zero complaints, they have just gone with someone that has more experience. “But that’s a catch-22!” part of me yells. Yes, inner me, it is, and that sucks, but remember; The business of business is business. Sometimes it’s not about whether you could do the job better, sometimes it’s just that your competition is doing the exact job that they are hiring for *right now*.
Reflect
Come on, you’re a project manager – Make a note of what you’ve learned. What went well, what went badly? What could you change for next time?
Are there any common themes in your rejections? If so, what should your self development priorities be?
WHAT ARE THE POSITIVES? – Often, people spiral into negative thinking. It’s ok to allow yourself the space to be upset, but this is also an opportunity to focus on the positive aspects – Look back over the past 10 years and identify how you’ve grown, the things you’ve accomplished. What beneficial aspects of the feedback can you take with you to the next interview?
Actions to take forward
- Refine your search
Sometimes a rejection can be beneficial because you realise that you didn’t want that role, for whatever reason. Note that down and use it to refine your search for the next role. - Remember mindset
The only thing inside your control is yourself. Companies turn people down for a whole multitude of reasons. The budget can dry up in a week, some huge news point makes it too risky to take on an extra role, or someone in the company points out that a restructure would actually achieve the same effect whilst making the role redundant.
Note from me to me: This is part of *your* skillset – efficiency and optimisation of work. - Celebrate your achievements
Take a day and look at everything you’ve accomplished over the past decade. Remind yourself of what you have done and how far you have come. Literally write them down.
And then make sure that those things are on your CV, because the next application awaits.